Moo Deng is biting back at fame.
The viral pigmy hippo has racked up millions of views online from adoring fans who can’t get over her cuteness — but in real life, she’s been a naughty girl.
A late September video shot inside months-old Moo Deng’s enclosure within Thailand’s Chonburi zoo showed the feisty female coming at her caretaker, while he was attempting to hose her down.
Although tiny, the dense but cute beast managed to push the grown man — while latching onto his leg and refusing to let go.
A video of the incident was uploaded to a widely popular Moo Deng fan page — where it rapidly received more than 6 million views.
Commenting on the widely-circulated video, one person accused the animal of being “kind of mean,” according to the Daily Mail.
“Baby girl is always choosing violence,” another user commented.
“She’s so sassy,” wrote another.
Moo Deng has become something of a pop culture phenomenon — her fame was even addressed in a recent “Saturday Night Live” Weekend Update segment.
Humor aside, the zoo’s team has expressed concern over how fame has led to bad visitor behavior.
Some fans have thrown things at the hippo to wake her up for the perfect picture, while others have splashed her with water.
“These behaviors are not only cruel but also dangerous,” zoo director Narongwit Chodchoi said.
“We must protect these animals and ensure that they have a safe and comfortable environment.”
